A HUNTER'S TALE (Lark-1)
by ncsupnatfan
Summary: There's a new hunter out there and the brothers cross paths while checking out a case. Things are not all smooth sailing between the hunter and the brothers. Can they work out their differences and find the monster?


**A/N: This is just a short one I've been working on between the other stories. It is in first person which I don't usually write in so I hope you will like it. This is mainly from the point of view of the main character that I created. Not sure how it will be liked, but if readers seem to enjoy it, I might write another short with this new character. I'd like to know what you think, if it's interesting enough to warrant another. Please review. NC**

* * *

In a split second, on a warm spring night, my world turned upside down forever. Never in a thousand years would I have believed that what goes bump in the night was real. After seeing my best friend die at the hands of a vampire; I stepped into a world that most humans don't know exist. I would of died too had it not been for a man who said he was a hunter and for me to forget what I saw, but how could I do that when I saw the life drained from my friend and her throat ripped out. I made the hunter tell me about what was out there and thus how I saw the world changed forever. It's a world of magic, supernatural, monsters, blood and kill or be killed. It's a world of vampires, werewolves, spirits, djinns, witches, and shape shifters that walk among us. Once you see beyond the curtain, there's no turning back, no forgetting the horrors, no looking the other way when things don't seem as it should be. How could I set back and do nothing when I knew there were innocent people out there being killed. So the next phase in my life began.

I'm a twenty-six year old nobody, nothing special. I flew under the radar for most of my life because I wanted to. I had a part time job and lived in a small home left to me by my grandparents. I became an orphan at the young age of eight and went to live with my grandparents who raised me. They encouraged me to try different things and to not be afraid of failure. They told me you can't be good at everything you do, but that doesn't mean you give up. You pick yourself up off the ground and move on to something else. They instilled in me strong moral values that I still go by today. I was smart in school and did the college thing for a short time. I never really showed just how smart I was because I didn't want to stick out. I found out at an early age what I read or saw I never forgot. That came in handy in school that was for sure, but school was boring, too structured for my wild spirit. Now it's helping me to learn everything I can about the supernatural and the monsters that are out there. I devoured every book, every online article, talked to anyone who would talk to me, arming myself with all the knowledge I could so I could hunt and that's what I've been doing since that bloody night. I found hangouts for hunters and became an invisible person listening to those who were more experienced and learning; learning, absorbing, training, finding ways to make a difference where I could for as many as I could. It's not an easy life, but it is one that I find satisfaction in. No one really looked twice at me, thinking I was just some girl living a normal life and that's how I liked it. I didn't get close to anyone or allowed them to get close to me.

I ran across a grumpy, cantankerous, older man who ran a salvage yard and was a fountain of knowledge. After a little begging, he let me read some of the books he had collected over the years. I was ecstatic to have found him. He let me grill him on anything and everything, even let me stay with him for a couple of weeks when he gave me some training. It was nice while it lasted, but I didn't want to owe anyone or overstay my welcome, so I left with a promise to stay in touch. I did upgrade his computer before I left so it would be easier for him to do research on it. He sort of grew on me and he was one person I could label as a friend. At least I knew where to turn if I ran into problems. I was a loner; I preferred to work by myself if at all possible. I studied up on incantations, spells, rituals and taught myself how to do simple ones to help me when hunting. I knew I wasn't as strong as a man, so I used every advantage I could when hunting. I wouldn't call myself a witch by no means, I didn't practice nor did I sell my soul to a demon; I was smarter than that. With all the knowledge I had accumulated, I learned some tricks that helped me to fight the bad and saved my ass a few times. One thing was set in stone, if you made a mistake, you usually didn't live to tell about it. Knowing that, I took advantage of any sources of knowledge I could get my hands on or spells that would give me an edge. I'm not saying I haven't been hurt since I started hunting, but I've been lucky that it hasn't been anything too serious. First aid 101 was a must in this line of work since you couldn't always visit an emergency room for your injuries. I kept a fully stocked kit in my car to be on the safe side and it has been used more than I like to admit, but that's what happens when you walk down this path. I have accepted that and try to plan for the worse and hope for the best.

 **spn**

The trail led me to a small town in Texas where people were disappearing and no one could figure out why. I started gathering all the information I could as soon as I got there. I talked to people and went to the local hangouts and listened when people didn't know that I was. I had learned long ago to be invisible and you could learn quiet a lot. There was an evil that had come to this town and it was preying on the town folks. I found a small, family run motel and got a room as base. Once I got settled in, I went online and used my skills to hack the police data base and download the missing person reports so I could form a time line and map out the disappearances. With a map I had bought earlier, I started marking the places to get a better picture of the area that was the hunting grounds. I decided to walk down the road to a diner and grab something to eat before I went to check out the areas I had marked out.

The weather was at least cooperating for a change and I only needed a light jacket to ward off the slight chill in the air. I zipped the jacket partway up and stuck my hands into the pockets as I trudged down the road toward the neon sign advertising the diner. I scanned the surrounding landscape searching for any danger but didn't notice anything. As I made my way through the parking lot a classic, black car caught my attention. It was a '67 Chevy Impala in very good shape. I stopped for a moment to admire it before continuing on into the diner wondering who owned it.

The waitress gave me a booth near the back of the dining room. I looked around at the customers in the room as I held up the menu. Most were senior citizens, a couple of families and two guys that looked around my age. My eyes lingered on the pair, taking in their good looks. I didn't see many hunks in my line of work and they were nice eye candy. Before I could look away, the eyes of the older one locked with mine and we stared at each other for several seconds before he looked away when the other one spoke to him. I shifted my eyes not wanting to make contact again.

I let out the breath I didn't know I was holding feeling slightly flustered for a moment. I sipped the water that was brought to me and placed my order. Hot rolls were brought and I began to munch on one as my eyes wandered back to the guys who were being served their meals. The more I studied them, the more my instincts started to tingle. There was something about them...Something that I recognized in myself. I looked up when my food was brought and sat down in front of me before casting my gaze again across the room and saw him looking at me again, but this time both of them gazed my way. I looked back down at my food and began to eat not wanting to attract their attention. I concentrated on my food, picking up my chicken sandwich and taking a bite. I chewed slowly as I looked out of the corner of my eye to see they had gone back to eating again. The more I studied them, the more convinced I was they were hunters just like me. I wondered if they were here for the same reason I was or maybe they were passing through. I continued to eat and was almost done when to my surprise the two guys sat down with me. The younger sat across from me and the older used his body to slide me over enough to join me on my side of the booth. I bristled at the intrusion as my features darkened.

"So ya on a job or what?" the one beside me asked as he picked up a fry and bit into it.

"What are you talking about?" I grumbled back at him before pulling my plate closer to me. "Take another one and lose a finger." I told him boldly, only to get a snicker from the one sitting across from me.

"Look sister you stand out like a sore thumb to other hunters. You here about the missing people?"

"Sorry for my brother's rudeness. I'm Sam and that's Dean." Sam said introducing themselves. "Are you looking into the disappearances too?"

So they were brothers I thought as I studied the one named Sam's face. He bore a friendly expression and had kind eyes. I was still not sure if I wanted to reveal myself to them and remained quiet.

"You're not here on your own are you?" Dean asked, gazing hard at me with gorgeous, green eyes. He waited for me to respond but I still didn't answer him. "Silent type huh? Look, we've got this covered so why don't you go runnin' along 'fore ya get yourself hurt. This ain't a job for a kid." Dean continued before standing up.

My anger began to flare the more he talked and it must of shown on my face because as I reached for the knife in my boot a foot gently kicked my foot and Sam whispered softly to where only I could hear.

"I wouldn't do that." he said eyeing me knowingly like he knew what I was going to do.

"C'mon Sammy, let's get out of here."

"Nice to meet you an' sorry 'bout my brother." Sam said giving me a warm smile of apology before following his brother from the diner.

I stretched to watch them and saw they got into the Impala. I hated to say it, but the car was made for them, it seemed to fit them perfectly. My curiosity was peaked now and I wondered just who the one called Dean thought he was? He was nuts if he thought he was scaring me off. I had as much right to be here as they did. I quickly finished my meal, more determined than ever to solve this case. I was going back to the motel to pick up my truck and head out to the area I had marked on the map. I was already running through my head the possible beings that might be causing these abductions. I needed to find some more clues before I could narrow down the list. I paid my bill and headed out and back down the street to the motel. Once there, I got in my truck and headed out deciding to go to the location of the last abduction first hoping there might still be some clues there that the cops didn't find.

 **spn**

I parked at the edge of a park that had a jogging trail around it. I could see the trail and followed it with my eyes to where it disappeared behind a stand of trees and picked it back up on the far side of the park. I noticed about half the trail was hidden in the trees. I opened the camper on the back of my truck and pulled out my evidence bag in case I need to collect anything I found. From the police report, the guy's girlfriend reported him missing when he didn't come back from his run. He usually went earlier, but got tied up at work and didn't get here until dusk to jog. They found his car here in the parking lot, but no signs of the guy.

There were people jogging, reading, having picnics, playing ball and Frisbee, kids running around burning off excess energy and elders just sitting on benches enjoying the sun. I began to walk down the trail knowing if anything happened it would have been where the trail went into the trees. It didn't take me long to reach the part of the trail where it went into the woods. I slowed down and started searching the area just off the trail for any disturbances or where someone might have gone off trail. I could tell how it would be much darker further down, if it was dust. It was when I was halfway around the trail that I saw some small broken branches on a few small trees leading into the woods. Anyone else would of probably thought nothing of this, but I carefully worked my way into the trees checking the ground for any tracks or drag marks. I stopped when I saw a partial footprint in some soft dirt and pulled my pack off to get my camera to take pictures. I looked deeper in the brush seeing it was getting thicker and saw something hanging from a broken branch. I pulled out a plastic bag and pulled strands of hair or fur from it to put in the bag and stored it back in the pack. It looked like an animal trail veered off around the brush and I moved to follow it a short ways when I found some strange tracks. I took pictures and searched further finding a mound of fine grayish/brown powder that was definitely out of place out here. After getting samples of the powder, I headed back to the trail and continued on around it not finding anything else.

Since it was mid afternoon, I headed to the place where the next victim disappeared from and went over the report in my mind. Again, the person disappeared after dark when her car broke down on the way home from work. It was about five miles from the park, on a small stretch of road that was uninhabited. I pulled off the road and parked getting out and looked around. I walked into the empty field on one side of the road to see if there was anything there. I looked back at the road and saw a piece of tape from where the car was found. Using that as a guide, I walked across the grassy field and found a dry creek bed and again I found the strange tracks as from the other scene in a little track of sand along with another mound of grayish/brown powder. I took more samples before heading back to my truck. I wanted to get back to the motel and check out what I found.

 **spn**

Sam was standing at the vending machines feeding coins into it to get a couple bottles of water. He looked up when a vehicle pulled into the parking lot. From where he was standing, the person couldn't see him, but he could see them. He was surprised to see it was the same young woman from the diner. He watched her get out of the car and go around to the camper door to get a suitcase out before heading for a room up above their room. He moved to the corner to see which one she went into and stood there trying to decide if he should talk to her or just leave it alone. His only concern was she was going to get herself hurt, especially when it looked like she was hunting alone.

I was glad to be back to the motel and let myself into my room. I sat my suitcase at the table before going into the bathroom to pee and wash the sweat from my face. The cold water felt good and cooled me off. I headed back into the main room and laid my suitcase down to open. I pulled out a microscope and sat it on the table. I hooked my camera to the computer to upload the pictures I took. Once that was done, I let a program run trying to find an owner of the footprints I had found. I was just getting ready to check out the powder when a soft knock made me look up in surprise. I was trying to figure out who would be visiting me when no one knew I was here. I went over closer to the door and pulled out my gun training it on the door. I mumbled a few words and drew a sigil in the air that would allow the door to unlock and open on its own. I kept the gun steady and waited to see who would come through the door.

"Hello?" a male voice said hesitatively as he stepped a little ways into the room. Sam faltered in his step when he saw the gun aimed at him. "Remember me from the diner? Sam?" he asked holding his hands out that were holding a bottle of water in each, waiting for me to say something.

"What do you want?" I asked still not lowering the gun.

"I just wanted to talk to you, that's all. I saw you drive up a few minutes ago."

I lowered the gun and motioned him to come in. I waved my hand and the door closed behind him. I bit my lip not to laugh when I saw the surprised expression on his face. He looked at the door and back at me before stepping further into the room.

"So talk." I said going to the table and laying my gun within easy reach. I turned the screen where he couldn't see it and motioned for him to have a seat.

"You know my name, can I ask yours?" Sam asked me.

"Lark." I replied figuring it wouldn't hurt for him to know my first name.

"Lark, I like it, it's unique and unusual." Sam said giving me a smile.

"Short for Larkin."

"Are you here checking out the missing person's?" Sam asked me glancing at the papers on the table and at the microscope with a curious expression on his face.

"And if I am?" I asked turning over the police reports.

"How long have you been hunting?"

"Long enough."

"So you know how dangerous it can be especially if you're alone and don't have any backup. I'm just concerned."

Before I could answer my computer dinged and I checked out the results and frowned when it came back with no match in any data base. I typed a few lines of programming to try one other option and hit enter then answered him.

"I'm not some greenhorn if that's what you want to know. I can take care of myself."

"How did you get into this?" Sam asked me.

I watched his body language as he talked. I had always been able to read people and honed my skills when I started hunting. He seemed sincere and curious about me, but didn't act wary or deceptive. Before I could answer him a cell began to ring. Sam quickly fumbled in his pocket pulling out his cell to answer it.

"Hello." Sam said and listened for a moment before continuing. "I'm fine Dean. I'm talking to Lark; she has a room down below us. We met her at the diner...But..." He paused and pulled his phone from his ear for a moment and a loud voice could be heard, before answering. "Ok." Sam said hanging up and looking up at me. "I need to go." he said apologetically. "It was nice to meet you." he said getting up to leave. "If you need help, we're in room ten at the end."

"You and your brother be careful." I said. "I don't think this is your run of the mill monster." I offered as he stepped to the door.

"Umm...Thanks." he replied heading out and pulling the door closed behind him.

 **spn**

I wondered what his brother said to him and shrugged my shoulders then went back to processing what I had found. My program still had not found a match for the foot print. I took out a test tube to mix the sample of the powder with some water and a slide so I could look at it under the microscope. I took out some test kits and was just getting ready to test it when another harder knock made me look up annoyed at being disturbed. I went to the door with my gun in hand.

"Who is it?" I asked waiting for an answer.

"Dean." a stronger, deeper male voice said from the other side of the door. "Can I come in?"

I thought for a moment trying to decide what to do. I decided he wouldn't go away if I didn't open the door, so I pulled it open and stood there looking at him. I saw he noticed the gun in my hand and watched his face twitch slightly but saw he was good at hiding his thoughts. I stepped aside to allow him to enter and saw Sam standing to the side looking ready to apologize for him. Dean stepped into the room with Sam following behind him.

"Sam says you're working the case even though I told you to pack it up and leave." Dean started glancing around the room before turning his gaze back on me.

"Number one, you have no say so about what I do dumb ass and number two, I think I was here first, so this case is actually mine. So why don't you and your brother pack up and get the hell out of here. Go find something else to hunt why don't ya? I. Got. This." I answered my voice getting harder with each word. No one told me what to do, especially someone like this jackass who thought he could bully me.

Sam's eyes widened in surprise as he looked at his brother and saw the anger building in him. He turned to me and saw the steeliness of my gaze and that I was not backing down from his brother.

"Why you little..." Dean started but was so mad he couldn't continue as he stiffened and clenched his hands tightly into fists.

"Dean, easy man." Sam told him cautiously, not wanting to see a fight start. He was pretty sure Dean wouldn't hit Lark, but he hadn't seen him this mad.

I watched Dean draw in a deep breath before letting it out slowly and looked at his brother.

"Lark, Dean, please...Look we're all hunters and want to stop whatever is killing innocent people. We shouldn't be fighting, we should be working together to stop it." Sam said trying to reason with Dean and me.

Dean and I stared each other down, neither of us wanting to be the first to give in. I heard Sam whisper so quietly to his brother, but I couldn't hear what he said, but whatever it was made Dean look at him and he gave him his best puppy dog eyes.

"Fine." Dean finally growled out standing down.

"Is that ok with you Lark? It might go faster with all of us working together and not against each other." Sam asked me using the same look that he used on his brother and it melted me.

I saw he had that look down pat and got the feeling he used it whenever he wanted his brother to do something he didn't want to. I would of laughed but I knew it would probably only make Dean get mad again so I held my laughter and answered him.

"I usually don't work with other hunters 'cause I don't want to be responsible for their deaths when they screw up." I replied. "What makes you two different?"

"Oh believe me sister when I say you won't have to worry about us. Have you not heard of us before? We're the Winchesters." Dean told me.

I looked at him and shrugged, I didn't really socialize with others.

"Like I said, I don't deal with other hunters."

"Now that that's settled, why don't we compare notes?" Sam asked casually. "So what are you doing here?" he asked me looking at the microscope and tests I had on the table.

"I went to the last places the last two victims were known to be at and looked around." I told him stepping back to the table. "I found some strange foot prints I can't identify and some type of powder that I was getting ready to test until I was interrupted." I said looking at Dean accusingly.

"Well don't let me stop you." Dean said sarcastically pulling a chair closer to sit down at the table.

"Fine, I'll finish." I said as Sam took a seat too and I sat back down to finish the tests. I mixed the powder with different chemicals and waited for the results. I guess my surprise and puzzlement showed on my face as Sam looked at the tests and back at me.

"What is it?" he asked.

"This powder is human remains." I said slowly picking up the remainder of it and studying it closely.

"What do you mean human?" Dean asked me.

"Just like I said, it tested positive for human DNA."

"What could turn a person into that?" Sam asked picking up the other container and looking at it.

"Nothing that I have come across or studied." I said looking at my computer screen when it beeped again. "The footprint still came back unknown."

"Let me see it." Dean said scooting forward in his chair.

I turned the screen so he could look at the photos I had taken. Dean studied the screen and frowned showing it to Sam.

"Have you seen it before? It looks almost human, but there's something about it that's not right."

Sam looked at it for a moment before answering.

"Not that I remember."

"Let me send it to a friend and see if he knows anything." I said pulling up my email account and sending the photo to Bobby Singer.

"Think we should send it to Bobby?" Sam asked Dean. "He might be able to find something."

"I should of known you'd know Bobby." I said looking from one brother to the other. "I just sent it to him."

"How do you know him?" Sam asked. "He's never mentioned you to us."

"I heard through the grapevine that he was the go to guy if you needed research done and went to him to study his books. He let me stay with him for a couple of weeks. I did a lot of reading during that time." I said interested that they knew him too. "He's who I go to for help if I ever need it."

"Small world." Sam said smiling happily. "We have more in common than we knew. He's like a second father to us."

"So what do we know?" Dean asked leaning back.

"Well, it attacks only at night and turns its victims into powder. I'm thinking it drains them of all fluids, sort of mummifying them and then destroys the bodies leaving behind the powder." I explain. "I've searched my data base and can find nothing that matches these facts."

"Wait? You have a data base?" Sam asked his interest peaked. "Can I see it?"

"Sure." I said typing a few commands and pushing the computer nearer to him. "You can only look at it. The rest of the system is locked so you can't use it so don't try it'll lock you out."

"Not paranoid are you?" Dean asked.

"I protect my work and I don't like people snooping." I replied with a shrug.

Sam looked at the screen and began to scan page after page of information on all the creatures they hunted and some he had not heard of. He was so engrossed with all the information at his fingertips he zoned out on everything else.

"Well ya made him happy." Dean chuckled looking at his brother's content face.

"Doesn't take much does it?" I smiled back at him.

"Since he's in his own world, wanna go with me to get dinner?"

"Might as well, can't really do anything until it gets dark." I shrugged getting up to grab my jacket and follow him out the door. We walked to the Impala and Dean unlocked it. "Gotta say, this is a nice ride. I'm jealous."

"It was our Dad's; he passed it down to me." Dean said lovingly rubbing a hand over the roof before getting in.

I got into the passenger seat and looked around at the interior, nodding my approval. Dean drove in silence to a steak house a few miles away so we could get dinner. After the food was ready, we headed back to the motel.

"Sorry if I came on a bit strong." Dean said breaking the silence in the room.

"A bit? I have a feeling you usually get your way and like to be in control." I told him arching an eyebrow his way.

"Yeah, guess I do, but that's 'cause I gotta keep my little brother safe. He's my responsibility."

"I don't think I would call him little, but I get what you mean." I told him thinking it would have been nice to have a sibling.

"You got any family?" he asked me seeing the wishful look on my face.

"No, I'm all there is left." I said trying to keep the sadness from my voice. I was use to being alone, but there were times I wished I had someone to talk to.

"Bummer." he said pulling into the parking lot and stopping at his room. "You know you could bunk with us and save a little money if you want?"

"I'm ok, besides I've got everything spread out, but thanks." I replied a little surprised that he offered. I picked up part of the bags and got out following him back to my room. I opened the door and he motioned me to go in first and followed.

"Foods here." Dean called to Sam who was still on my laptop.

"This is amazing Lark, I can't believe you created this." Sam said looking up as I cleared a place for the food.

"Thanks, gave me something to do in my spare time." I said sitting food containers out on the table.

"That one's yours Sammy." Dean said pushing one container his way.

"Thanks." Sam said opening it to see a salad with grilled chicken on it. "Did you get any dressing?" he asked looking around.

"I think it's in my bag." I told him pulling out a couple of packets. I studied the differences in the brothers as I cut my sandwich in half. Dean was a meats and potatoes guy and Sam was a more salad, healthier type of guy. I watched them communicate with each other without even talking and found it interesting. I hope they were as good hunters as they claimed to be, it would be a pity to lose one or both of them.

 **spn**

"I've marked out what I think is its hunting territory on this map." I explained to the brothers as I spread out a map of the area. "I'm heading over there now that it's dark to check it out."

"Not without us you're not." Dean stated in no uncertain terms.

"I didn't say you couldn't come, just didn't know if you wanted to." I shrugged ignoring his demanding voice. "In that case you can drive."

I went to my weapon's bag and pulled out a hand gun checking the load before settling it in the small of my back. I pulled out several sizes of knives, slipping one in my boot and one in my jacket pocket along with a vial of holy water and holy oil and a pouch of salt. I studied what was left in the bag trying to decide if I needed anything else. Deciding more was better than less, I pulled out my machete and several silver throwing stars. I didn't notice that the brothers were watching me with interest as I armed up.

"Alright, I'm ready." I told them straightening my jacket and looking toward them.

"Ok, after you sweetheart." Dean drawled out as he stepped toward the door and opened it allowing me to go first.

After being sure the door was locked and warded, I followed them to the Impala and got in the backseat knowing without asking that Dean drove and Sam had shotgun. I could just feel that was how they rolled. It was fine with me. It gave me a chance to study them while Dean drove to the area we were going stake out. I decided that Dean was maybe a year or two older than me and Sam was a year or two younger than me. If I had an interest in having a boyfriend either one of these guys would fit the bill for sure and it would be very hard to choose between them.

"Looks like there's a place to park up ahead." Sam said pointing to some parking spaces just ahead of them.

"Got it." Dean replied slowing the Impala down and easing her into a space. He shut the engine off and turned around to look at me. "Listen, we'll split up, you stay with Sam."

"We'll cover more ground if we all split up and why would I need to stay with Sam?" I questioned already knowing the answer but waiting to see what he would say.

"Because you don't need to be out there alone since we don't know what we're dealing with."

"But **you** can be alone and it's ok?" I asked arching an eyebrow at him.

"I can protect myself."

"Are you insinuating I can't?" I asked sarcastically. "You don't even know me, **or** what I'm capable of." I continued my eyes flashing in fury. "I've been taking care of myself for a long time now and wow, look at me I'm still alive."

"And you think I'm stubborn." Dean growled at me before he got out of the car. "C'mon Sammy arm up."

"Coming." he said giving me an apologetic smile before getting out too.

I followed them and looked around as they got their weapons from the trunk. "You got a first aid kit back there?" I asked stepping back to where they were. "Just in case."

"Here." he grunted handing me a small pack that I put over my shoulders adjusting it so it wouldn't interfere with fighting.

"Before we go let me cast a protection spell." I said as I started the spell but was interrupted.

"What the hell? Are you a witch?" Dean accused me.

"Not hardly." I scoffed at him. "I taught myself some spells and incantations to help me hunt. I am not a witch, demon, or anything else supernatural and no I didn't sell my soul. I use all the resources available to me, is that a crime? I like to have as much in my favor as I can."

"No!...I guess not." Dean grunted surprised by her remark. He had to admit they used spells and incantations too. "Go ahead."

I pulled the holy water from my jacket pocket and closed my eyes letting out a slow steady breath. I calmed my mind before reciting the spell and drawing a sigil in the air. I stepped to Sam and wet my finger drawing a cross on his forehead and turned to do the same to Dean and finally myself. I finished the spell and replaced the holy water before turning once again to the brothers.

"We can divide the area into three quadrants and if we see or hear anything signal the others." I suggested.

"Alright, but don't do anything stupid or try to handle this by yourself, you signal one of us understand? Don't need ya getting hurt or killed."

"You know when they said no question is dumb?" I asked. "Well they were wrong." I said turning on my heels and walking toward a stand of trees that started the wooden section we were checking out.

Dean huffed madly before turning and walking the opposite way into the woods. Sam stood there a moment looking one way and then the other not understanding how they couldn't see how much alike they were. No wonder they kept butting heads all the time. He sighed and headed into the middle quadrant going into hunter mode as he entered the forest.

As soon as I stepped into the woods, I went on high alert, letting the hunter out in me. I moved cautiously deeper into the woods listening for anything out of place. I didn't like not knowing what I was hunting; it made it all the more dangerous. I was still uncomfortable working with these brothers, but Dean didn't give me much choice. The more I got to know him, the more I was sure I didn't like him. He was arrogant and too sure of himself and a stubborn s.o.b.

 **spn**

The quietness that surrounded Sam was unnerving, even the insects weren't singing their usual song tonight. That in itself told Sam there was something luring in these woods that even had them wanting to stay quiet. Sam paused between two trees and searched the shadow laden forest around him. The moon was in its waning phase and still gave enough light to see partly into the forest. Twigs breaking not far away caught his attention and he stilled trying to zero in on where it was coming from. He moved slowly to draw his gun and leaned against the tree, easing carefully around it trying to see. A shadow moved among the trees, shuffling from one to another. Sam couldn't make out what it was and stepped out following it with his gun. Before he could fire, something struck him in the neck sending a wave of pain shooting down his body. Sam started gagging and his hands tightened causing him to fire his gun as he slowly fell to his knees unable to control his body at all as he continued on down to the ground. He tried to raise his gun but couldn't seem to get it to cooperate. The shadow moved closer to him and all Sam could do was lay there twitching. The monster loomed over him and he felt a dampness as something worked its way under his shirt and latched onto his chest.

"Hey ass hole!" a male voice sneered nearby before gun shots filled the air, coming from two different directions.

"I think we got it." I said as the monster screamed in pain and anger before it fell to the ground not moving. It seemed to grown smaller, almost like it was collapsing in on itself.

"Sam! Hey dude you ok?" Dean asked running to his brother and dropping down beside him.

"He ok?" I asked picking up a stick to try and turn whatever the monster was over.

"Something's wrong." Dean said getting Sam on his back.

I watched him feel for a pulse and pull his hand back in surprise before pulling out a light to shine it on his brother's neck.

"He's got something in his neck." Dean said starting to touch it.

"Wait!" I told him moving to the other side of Sam. "Let me look." I took his light and leaned down to get a closer look at what looked like a barb in Sam's neck. I pulled the bag from my shoulder and got out the first aid kit. After I opened it up, I found some tweeters and latex gloves. After slipping on the gloves, I started to grasp the end with the tweeters when Sam jerked and a spasm ran down his body. "Hold him still I need to get this out." I commanded Dean as I pressed my hand around the barb to steady it. Luckily Dean didn't argue, and pressed Sam's shoulders to the ground. With a steady hand, I got the barb and quickly pulled it from his neck leaving a trail of blood and a thick yellow substance. I took a piece of gauze and wiped it off pulling a glove over it to save the sample.

"What is it?" Dean asked me feeling his neck again for a pulse. "He's barely got a pulse. We need to get him to the hospital."

"He's been poisoned. Let me get a blood sample from whatever it is, it may help with an antidote." I told him finding a syringe in the kit and crab walking to the body to get a sample. Once I had some, I stood and slipped it into my jacket. "Can you carry him to the car?"

"Yeah, I got him." Dean told him as he hefted Sam up and draped his body over one of his shoulders fireman style and headed quickly toward the car.

I stuffed the first aid kit into the pack and quickly followed on his heels. I noticed Dean cut right through the woods, bullying his way through bushes instead of going around. It didn't take us long to get back to the Impala with the pace he set.

"Here, open it, need to get him in back." Dean told me tossing a set of keys my way.

I grabbed them out of the air and opened the driver's door so I could reach in to unlock the back doors.

"I'll sit back here with him." I told him climbing in and reaching for his brother. Dean shifted Sam off his shoulder and eased him in back with me. I pulled his body across the seat and let his head rest in my lap. I checked his pulse and his breathing as Dean folded his legs enough so he would fit. "I got him." I assured Dean as he hurried to the driver's side and got in.

Dean drove away toward the hospital as fast as the road would allow. He kept glancing back at his brother as I kept a hand on his chest to see if he was breathing. We hadn't gotten very far when Sam started to gasp for air and his chest stopped moving.

"He's not breathing." I told Dean as I slipped out from under him and knelt by his side, tilting his head back and pinching his nose so I could start mouth to mouth. I puffed hard into Sam's mouth several times before starting compressions on his chest. "Drive faster." I told Dean as I continued to perform CPR. I felt the car lurch forward throwing me onto Sam as Dean stomped the gas pedal. I righted myself and blew into his mouth again. "Come on Sam, hang on." I mumbled to him checking for a pulse before starting back.

 **spn**

I bounced around in the back as Dean spun the car to a stop at the emergency room doors. He jumped out and ran for the doors yelling for help. A nurse and orderly rushed out with a gurney to help get Sam inside.

"He stopped breathing about four minutes ago. I've been doing CPR." I told them. "I have a sample of the poison. It needs to be tested. It paralyzed his body and then attacked his nervous system. If I didn't know better, I'd think it was from a poisonous creature from South America." I explained to the nurse who took the sample and rushed it to the lab.

"You two need to wait out here." another nurse said as they wheeled Sam into a curtained off room and began working on him. He was incubated, blood drawn for testing, electrodes placed on his chest, vitals taken, IV started and medicine administered. The doctor charged the defibrillator and shocked him making his body jerk and arch from the bed.

Dean watched them work on his brother and grimaced when he was shocked trying to get his heart going again. He was shocked a second time and the flat line on the display began to show an irregular heart beat that slowly leveled off and began to register.

"He's back, see if the lab has anything yet on that sample, I don't know how much longer he'll hang on." the doctor told the nurse.

"Yes doctor." she said hurrying out and to the nurse's station.

"Come on Dean, they're doing all they can. We can sit over here and still see him." I said quietly, taking his arm and guiding him to a chair. I sat down beside him and looked up when a nurse came over with forms to fill out. I took them when Dean didn't respond to her and looked at them. "You're gonna have to help me here, other than Sam's name, I don't know much about him."

"I'll do it." he finally said taking the clipboard and skimming the questions. I watched him scribble quickly on the paper as he filled in the blanks. He looked back up as the same nurse hurried by and spoke with the doctor who issued orders to everyone. Another nurse appeared with a small bag of solution and several vials that she gave the doctor. I watched them carefully as they gave Sam some type of medicine and hooked the bag of solution into his IV. My eyes drifted back to the monitor that I could just see and I checked his heart beat. I could tell it was beating eradicate but at least it was beating.

Dean growled madly and slapped the clipboard starting to get up. I put a hand on his arm to stop him and said, "Dean, they're doing all they can. I'm sure he'll be ok." I tried to assure him. I could hear him cuss under his breath as he slumped back in the chair. I took the forms over to the nurse's station and gave them to the nurse before going back to sit beside him again.

"Thanks for what you did." Dean mumbled staring hard at his brother as they continued to work on him.

"No thanks needed. I was glad to help." I replied. We both stood up when the doctor headed our way.

"Are you family?" he asked.

"I'm his brother Dean, how is he?" Dean asked

"I'm Dr. Bishop; I think you got him here in time. We've administered antitoxin and he's holding his own right now. You're lucky you got that sample or we wouldn't have known what to give him. They'll move him to a room shortly so he can be monitored for the next 24 to 48 hours. Once the nurse is through you can go in and see him. Whoever did CPR probably saved his life and the sample of the poison helped too."

"Thank you doctor." Dean nodded shaking his hand.

"I'll be checking on him later and the nurses will page me if there's any problems."

We sat back down and I saw the relief on Dean's face as he swiped a hand down it.

"See I told you he'd be ok."

"Thanks for what you did for my brother." Dean finally said. "Guess you're not that bad after all."

"You're welcome; I guess you're ok too." I confessed with an absent shrug.

"Sir, you can see your brother now." a nurse said getting out attention.

We both got up and followed her to the cubical where Sam was and stepped in. Dean went to his brother's side and looked him over before speaking. Sam was still unconscious, but I studied the machines he was hooked to and saw his vitals were stable.

"Hey bro doc says you're going to be ok. He wants to keep you in the hospital a day or so just to be sure. Don't worry; I'll get ya out of here as soon as I can." Dean told his brother as he brushed his long hair from his face.

"Well, guess I should be going...Tell Sam I said good-bye." I tell him deciding not to hang around now that Sam was going to be ok.

"Why don't ya hang around, I know Sam would want to thank you himself. Maybe I can buy you dinner or something?"

"Maybe next time." I said to him, giving him a brief smile. "If our paths cross again that is. See ya later Dean."

I stepped out of the room and headed for the exit deciding to grab a cab to the motel to get my truck.

"Hey!" a voice called from behind me, causing me to stop and look over my shoulder.

Dean walked quickly toward me and before I knew what was happening, he pulled me to him and kissed me deeply and passionately before stepping back. I stood there for a moment surprised by his actions, then turned to head back toward the exit a small smile of satisfaction on my face. Now that was a pleasant surprise and I was right he was a good kisser. Maybe we would run into each other again on a hunt. Who knows, no one knew what the future had in store for any of us.

 **The End**


End file.
